Connector



May 19, 1942. "K, c, BU G 2,283,663

CONNECTOR F i led Sept. 21, 1938 Patented May 19, 1942 UNITED STATES "PATENT OFFICE CONNECTOR Kenly C- Bns a mi t n, Mo.

Application September 21, 1938, Serial-No. 231,051,

(Cl. 24--8l) 4 Claims.

This invention pertains to comiectors and more particularly to connecting means for securing a conductor in position with respect, to insulating means.

It is general practice, in providing connecting means for securing a conductor to. an insulator, to use merely a wire or other flexible or semiflexible means which embraces the insulator and is secured thereto as by winding the, ends of the connector around a portion of the wire to be supported, thus forming in effect, a helical connection.

ihe difficulties with this species of connection are that the connection is diflicult to make, particularly in the case of a substantially heavy conductor being secured to an insulator, as, for example, a phone wire which is; to be supported on an insulator carried by a telephone pole. While making the connection the lineman must provide additional supporting means for the conductor, he must wind one end of the connector at a time around the conductor to be supported, and it is necessary for him to perform his duties with both hands, thereby depending on his safety belt and spikes for supporting him in position. In addition, where poles having long cross arms are used, it is extremely diflicult for a lineman to support himself and make any supporting connection; Further, Where replacement must take place due to change in supported wiring, either where different hook-ups are made, or where a different kind or material of supported wire is used, mak

ing necessary the use of a connector of similar material to eliminate electrolysis, it is desirable securing means for the supported conductor and vide, a connector wherein insulating means may be applied thereto at any time.

A further object of the invention is to provide a connector 'for a conductor which is formed of wire of usual section, that is round, but one which obtains all the advantages of a wire of square or flattened section.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a connector for an electrical conductor wherein portions are upset to form increased tor but will not limit the tool to which it is applied to, this single purpose.

With these and various other objects in view, the invention may consist of certain novel features of construction and operation as will be morev fully described and particularly pointed out in the specification, drawing and claims appended hereto.

In the drawing, which illustrates embodiments of the device and wherein like reference charactors are used to designate like partsthat the one making the replacement be able to release the connector readily.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide connecting means with a high safety factor for connecting a conductor to a supporting insulator, which connection can be performed readily while the conductor is supported in position on the insulator while the connector is being secured.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive connector for holding a conductor or fence in supported position.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive connector for holding a conductor in supported position with respect to an insulator, which connector is inexpensive to make, positive in operation, has a great safety factor and fulfills all requirements of manufacturing service.

Yet another object of the invention is to proi gagement and in normal operative position with Figure 1 is an elevation showing one of the connecting means embodying the invention in securing position with relation to an insulator and a supported conductor;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the insulator, conductor and connector shown in Figure 1, the same being taken substantially at right angles to said figure;

Figure 3 is a top plan view partly in section of the connector embodying the invention showing the same in position as shown in Figures 1 and 2; Figure, 4 is an end elevation of said connector; Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional elevation of l the connector, the same being taken substantially in the plane as indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 3;

Figure- 6 is an enlarged sectional elevation of the connector, the same being taken substantially in the plane as indicated by the line 66 of Figure 3;

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional elevation corresponding to Figure 6, showing the relative positions of the parts when the connector is in enrespect to a supported conductor, this figure also showing the position of linesmans pliers equipped with releasing means for opening the connector;

Figure 8 is a view corresponding to Figure '7 showing the application of insulating means to the conductor retained by the connector;

Figure 9 is a sectional top plan view corresponding to Figure 3 showing a modified form of conductor;

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the connector prior to the hook formations being made, but after the coining operation has been performed;

Figure 11 is a fragmentary side elevation of a pair of linesmans pliers having a modified form 15 of connector releasing means thereon.

Figure 12 is a fragmentary top plan view of a modified form of conductor end.

The forms of the device illustrated herein, as above pointed out, are adapted particularly to form a connection between a supported conductor and the adjacent insulator, though of course they have other uses where tying means is used to support an elongated body on a support.

The insulator H] which is of a usual type consists essentially of the body portion l2 provided with lower and upper spaced shoulders or flanges l4 and IS. The conductor, cable or other means to be supported is adapted to be secured against that portion of the body of the insulator disposed between the flanges l4 and I6 and preferably to be supported at least partially on the lower flange l4 by means of the connector 22, and it may be desirable to hold the supported member tightly against the supporting member. The connector 22, in the embodiment shown, is conveniently formed of a wire of desired gauge and stiffness and is formed with the enlarged loop portion 24 adapted to fit around or embrace the body portion 20 of the insulator. Each end of the loop portion 24 is bent upwardly as at 26, and is then re-bent as at 28 to form a hooked portion, or channel portion, for receiving the conductor to be supported. The securing ends 30 of the connector may be formed with hooked or bent portions 32 of any desired number, shown three, and said ends terminate in the free end members 34 extending in the same direction as the looped portions 24 v and 32, the channels formed by the members 32 being in longitudinal alignment formed with the member 26 whereby the supported cable l8- may be conveniently received in assembly.

The section of the hooked member 26 preferably is not disturbed, that is, it is of constant section. The members 32, at the apices 36 thereof, are coined or formed as at 38 to form a reduced section as shown at Figure 6 whereby upper and lower shoulders or upset portions 42 and 40 are provided. Thus it will be seen that 60 a cable conductor or other means may be readily supported by an insulator simply by disposing the cable l8 on the lower flange of the insulator l0, slipping the connector around the body portion 26 and engaging the cable in the aligned 66 channels of the hooked portions 26 and 32. This may readily be done by a lineman with one hand.

He may then take his usual linemans pliers and bend the members 32 into close en agement with the conductor 18 such as shown in Figure '7, in which position the wire is forced backwardly toward the apices of the hooked members, and the shoulders 40 and 42 engage and overlie the conductor forming interlocking means therewith, making it impossible to disengage the cable by a movement toward the left as viewed in Figure 7.

The first hooked portion 26 being of constant section preferably is not bent into close engagement with the conductor as the full strength of the wire is maintained to prevent fracture and form an additional safety means in case of fracture of the other hooks as it will maintain the conductor in supported position on the lower flange. The increased area caused by the coining such as shown at 44 permits easy clamping and causes an engagement with the supported conductor over an increased area, thus increasing the gripping action, that is, the contact is over a surface as distinguished from substantially a line contact as hook 26, and the shoulders or upsets form in effect inclined planes which urge the wire toward the insulator into its tightest contact. It may be said that this formation makes the flattened hook portions more yieldable for ready release and, if necessary, for repair of the supported member. In this type of connector the strongest point of support of the cable is adjacent the insulator which is the desired point, whereas in the usual form of connector, that is, the type where a simple wir is helically wound around a connector, the weakest point is adjacent the insulator.

It is sometimes desirable that the connector be insulated. This may either be done by covering the connector prior to its formation in the spaced hooked portions 26 and 32, or the connector may be formed and then an elastic enamel coating be deposited thereon, or a rubber or other insulating coat may be applied thereon by electrolysis. Other forms of insulation may be used such as the separate insert or partial sleeve 46 as shown in Figure 8 which may be applied to the conductor l8 and clamped in position by means of the hooked portion 32.

It is possible to form connectors of such size as to be readily applied to most types of insulators. However, it may be desirable to provide a connector which is adapted to be used on any size of insulator regardless of its location. In that case a form of connector is used as illustrated in Figure 9 wherein one end of the connector 48 is provided with the hook members 26 and 32 numbered similarly as before described. In this case the opposite end 56 is not preformed, but when in applied position said end is helically wound as shown at 52 to form the opposite connection. It is of course understood that the hook members are bent to close engaging position as illustrated in Figure 7 in order to provide a tight connection at the opposite end.

In forming the connector, reference may be had to Figure 10. A straight piece of wire 54 is flanged as at 56 to form a portion 58. It is then reflanged at 60 to form a return portion 62 substantially parallel to the portion 58, and then the portion 62 is flanged as at 64 to provide the elongated portion 66 in substantial alignment with the body part of the connector. Additional members 68 and 10 may be formed similar to the portions 58 and 62 separated by the portion 66, and certain of the flanged portions may then be coined as shown at 12, after which the members may be formed into the hook shaped members 36 and 32 as already described. While it is indicated that the two outer adjacent hooked members are coined, it will of course be understood that any number of hooked members may be used, depending upon the load to be supported, and therefore any number of hook members may be retained in full section while the remainder are coined.

It is of course understood that alternate hooked members may be retained in full section, and coined, or any other combination may be used. The alternate form is shown in Figure 12 wherein the body portion of the wire 92 is flanged as at 94, 96, 98 and I00, and is reflanged as at I02, I04, I06 and I08, and flanges and reflanges 96, I04, I and I08 of alternate projections are flattened or coined as already described. After the formation of the hooks (or prior if desired), the body portion may be shaped to a desirable size. It may also be desirable to provide a connector made of spring material, the hook members being heat treated or otherwise treated to eliminate the spring and then annealed. Also, the portion of the body portion which surrounds the insulator may join the end hooked portion substantially at right angles thereto instead of at an angle as shown in Figure 3.

It will thus be seen that a connector is provided of maximum strength as a constant connection is maintained, whereas in the usual helical form of connector the strength is diminished, therefore the effective connection is reduced. With the herein contemplated connector there is a pinching effect of the upsets against the connector, preventing longitudinal movement of the supported member through the gripping effect of the connector. The flattening or upsetting maintains the same area but increases the ripp g.

It has been found desirable to use the same material in the connector as that used in the supported cable, for example, if a so-called iron cable is to be supported an iron connector will be used, or if a cable of other composition is to be supported a connector of similar composition will be used. This prevents any tendency to create electrolysis, and eliminates any tendency toward oxidation of either the supported member or the connector.

It may be found in certain repair work that it is desirable to release the connector. This may readily be done by providing the linesmans pliers with releasing means. In the type shown in Figure '7, the pliers I4 are provided with the roller I6 welded on the jaw I8 of the pliers by the loop 80 which is pivoted at opposite ends of the roller as at 82. In the form shown in Figure 11, the pliers 84 are provided with the roller 86 pivoted to the pliers as at 88 by the member 90, and thus may be moved to inoperative position as shown by the dotted lines. In either case the pliers may be placed so that the roller engages between the jaws of the hook member to be released as shown in Figure 7, and then by a simple squeezing operation the jaws of the hook member may be separated.

It is to be understood that I do not wish to be limited by the exact embodiments of the device shown, which are merely by way of illustration and not limitation as various and other forms of the device will of course be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A connector including a body portion shaped to embrace a support, one end of said body portion extending substantially in the direction of a tangent to the support, said end including spaced hook shaped members for holding an article to be supported in engagement with the support, said hook shaped members being formed by substantially contiguous bent and rebent portions, the bent and rebent portions forming the apex of one of said hook shaped members being flattened, said spaced hook shaped members being connected by a portion permitting the hook shaped members to always engage said article when said article is in supported position.

2. A connector including a body portion shaped to embrace a support, one end of said body portion extending substantially in the direction of a tangent to the support, said end including spaced hook shaped members for holding an article to be supported in engagement with the support, said hook shaped members being formed by substantially contiguous bent and rebent por-' tions, the bent and rebent portions forming the apex of alternate hook shaped members being flattened, said spaced hook shaped members being connected by a portion permitting the hookshaped members to always engage said article when said article is in supported position.

3. A connector including a body portion shaped to embrace a support, one end of said body portion extending substantially in the direction of a tangent to the support, said end including spaced hook shaped members for holding an article to be supported in engagement with the support, said hook shaped members being formed by substantially contiguous bent and rebent portions, the bent and rebent portions forming the apex of the hook shaped member farthest from the shaped body portion being flattened, said spaced hook shaped members being connected by a portion permitting the hook shaped members to always engage said article when said article is in supported position.

4. A connector including a body portion shaped to embrace a support, one end of said body portion extending substantially in the direction of a tangent to the support, said end including spaced hook shaped members for holding an article to be supported in engagement with the support, said hook shaped members being formed by substantially contiguous bent and rebent por tions, the bent and rebent portions forming the apex of the hook shaped member farthest from the shapedbody portion being flattened, the bent and rebent portions of the hook shaped member adjacent the shaped body portion being of substantially constant cross section, said spaced 

